Combination doorway and step closure for street-cars.



M. MEYER.

COMBINATION DOORWAY AND STEP CLOSURE FOR STREET CARS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1912.

1 075,0 19, Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

nvcwtoz wi/bweooeo air/5M" g as Wan/til Ma /v Z/RMJAM mw JM COLUMBIA PLANUGRAPH C0, WASHINGTON. D. c

M. MEYER. COMBINATION DOORWAY AND STEP CLOSURE FOR STREET cans.

APPLICATION FILED APR.11,1912

Patnted 0011.7,1913.

a SHEETS-SHEET 2.

M. MEYER.

COMBINATION DOORWAY AND STEP CLOSURE FOR STREET ems.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 11, 1912.

Patented Oct. 7, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

awwentoz MARTIN MEYER, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

COMBINATION DOORWAY AND STEP CLOSURE FOR STREET-CARS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. *7 1913.

Application filed April 11, 1912. Serial No. 690,009.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MARTIN MEYER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combination Doorway and Step Closures for Street-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined doorway and step-closure for street cars, particularly adapted for use in connection with pay-as-yo-u-enter cars, and has for its object to provide means for the coincident closure of the double passageway or doorway and folding of the door-step, the two closures to be effected by a single act or movement of a person in charge of the car.

The invention includes an upright, elongated ba-rrier-frame or gate disposed exteriorly of the car and adapted to be swung downwardly or upwardly for obstructing or clearing the passageways, the pivotally or hingably mounted step moving simultaneously to an upright or horizontal position, devices being employed and operating automatically to cause these parts to become locked or secured at the time the step is folded.

The invention also has reference to the use of an adjustable counterbalance which not only tends to equalize the weight of the gate and connected parts to cause convenient operation, but automatically sustains the gate in its uppermost position when the step is lowered, and by reason of its momentum causes effective engagement of the gate with the detent-members for locking the gate when it is lowered, and swinging the step to a vertical or closed position.

The invention also includes automatically operative means for preventing the outward swinging movement of the gate at the passenger platform or doorway after the gate has been lowered, this outward movement generally being caused by pressure delivered from within, or pressure occasioned by an overcrowded condition of the car.

While the principal object is the provision of simple, practical and effective means to effect the simultaneous movements of a gate and step, to open or close a passageway of a car, convenient means are incidentally provided and found of advantage for connecting or disconnect-ing certain parts, so that the gate may be operated, whenever desired, in conjunction with or independently of the step.

The invention also discloses means, which operate automatically to secure or lock the pivotally mounted step in a vertical or closed position, and automatic means for releasing the step fro-m its locked or vertical position, so that it may be swung downward to a horizontal position.

Wit-h the foregoing objects in view, and others as hereinafter outlined, the invention presents a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts as described and claimed, and as illustrated in the drawing, wherein- Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations, showing the rear art of a car; Fig. 1 showing relative position of parts when the gate has been lowered and the step has been swung upward to a vertical position, Fig. 2 showing relative position of parts when the gate has been elevated and the step lowered to a horizontal position. Figs. 3 and 4 are rear end views of a car, portions of the car frame being bro-ken away and in section to clearly illustrate the mounting of certain parts. Figs. 5 to 15, inclusive, are enlarged, detail views to clearly show construction of certain parts appearing in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4. Fig. 5 is a side view of the vertical actuating-rod. Fig. 6 is a vertical, side view of a hook or detent-member, a contactblock or buffer also being shown. Figs. 7. and 8 are detail views relating to Fig. 9 to show the pivotal mounting of the reversible display plate in one of the ends of the gate. Fig. 9 is a broken side view of the gate or barrier-frame. Fig. 10 is a side view of parts, showing a crank-connection between a sprocket wheel and the upper terminal of the actuating-rod, a part of the housingcase also being shown. Fig. 11 is a side view, partly broken, of the housing or case for the sprocket wheels and chain. Fig. 12 is an end view of the step, when swung to an upright position; said view illustrates the mounting of the step, and shows the lower part of the actuating-rod; also, in section, it shows a part of the car frame. Fig. 13 is a view of the hand lever and illustrates its mounting upon a sprocket wheel, the casing and chain being in section. Fig. 14 is an end view of the step-whenswung toa hori- 15 illustrates lthe ticular desoription, numeral 1 indicates the platform of a car having a doorway or passageway 2. :It will be understood that! by the term doorway used in this connection, is meant the entrance or exit way generally provided in the side of the car, and below the do rway, mounted upon hingeniembersB and 4, arranged in pairs, is -indi cated the doorste 5. Each 'of"the 1iingemembers 3, best shown in Fig. 14, preferably consists of a straight strap, and hingemembers 4 are preferably angular in form; members '8 may be mounted upon and may extend below the frame-member 6 of the car, their lower terminals providinga support for shaft 7 upon which the hinge-members '4, at the junction of their right-angled arms, may beinounted. The 'step 5 is secured upon one arm of each angular hinge-member 4, andup'on the other arms ofthese hinge-members ismounted "the guard or riser 8 and contact-bar 9, said bar being disposed upon the rear partand adjacent 'tot'he ends of said arms. Contactbar 9 is disposed parallel with sh'aft 7 and has a lengthgreater than the riser, so that its ends will b'ea'rupon' the rear part of hinge-members 8 when the car step moves to a horizontal position, these bearings being for the purpose of sustaining the step, and for resisting a downward pressure thereon. The contact-bar is ,preferably'constructed of metal and it may operate as an elementfto equalize the weight of the riser as eomparedwith the weight of -step-5, so that the swinging movements of'the step may be facilitated.

While I have described, in detail a preferred mounting for the car step, I donot limit myself in this respect, and it may be provided with any suitable mounting below the doorway, of a car so that it maybe swung transversely inan arc, substantially of 90 degrees. r

At 10, above step 5, is indicated a gate'or barrier framepreferably of flat rectangular form. It is disposedexteriorly ofthe car; it may have any suitable width, and preferably has a length somewhatgreater than the width of the doorway'2. At l'l, upon the car, areindicated brackets providingfbearings for shaft 12, said shafthaving atone of its ends an angular arm '13 provided with a weight '14. This weight is'provided with a set-screw so that it maybe adjustedlongitudinally of arm 13, and the opposite end of the shaft is provided with a cranki15.

At 16, transverselydisposed and rigidly mounted upon shaft 12, are indicated lifting-arms; and hingably mounted at 17 upon arms 16 are "the supporting-arms '18, said arms 18 being disposed transversely with reference to and rigidly mounted upon the 1 upper part of 'the'gate frame. If provision is made for rotating this shaft 180 degrees,

"arms 16-.may ibe swung transversely of the car, and the gate may be disposed as a barrier in its lowermost position, shown in Figs. 1 and .4, or may be swung upwardly 'to the positions shown in Figs. 2 and 8. To cause a reciprocatory rotary motion of the shaft for these purposes, the same to :be under convenient control of an "operator, any,

si'iitable means may be provided, the means herein shown being the sprocket wheels 19 and 20,'carrying the sprocket chain '21 ('Fig.

11). Ahousing or casing 22 is preferably employed to extend transversely of :the ear, and it maybe suitably-secured to the car frame asjsh'o'wn in detail in Fig. '13. Nheel 20' may be provided with .a hand-lever 23. Wheel 'l 9 p'refera'bly is disposed in a terminal-of the casing opposite to wheel 20, and isrigidly'mountedupon shaft '12; and'shaft 12may have bearings in said casing; The

houslng or'casing is preferably rectangular in cross-section, and it may be of angular form to occupy a limited space below the roof of'the car.

At 24 is indicated a'link or actuating-rod, said rod being shown 'in broken lines in Figs. 1,2,3 and 4, and best illustrated in detail in Figsa5, 10-and '12. Itis provided at its terminals with transverse heads or projections 25 extending in one direction, and slots 26 are formed in'these projections.

Upon the lower side of step 5, between its edges and adjacent to one of its ends, is mounted a bracket 27 (Figs. 1, 2, 15), and mounted in this'bra'cket is a pin 28 adapted to engage within the slot of the lower projection of the actuating-rod, and the mounting of the pin '28 within this slot may be maintained by means of the keeper 29. The upper "terminal of the actuating-rod is mounted upon crank 15 of shaft 12, crank pin 15' engaging within the slot 26 of the projection 25 ofthis upper terminal.

From'the description it will'be seen that rod 24 may have [longitudinal reciprocation; the movement of the rod in one direction under control of the hand-lever will cause the gate to swing downward, and co-incidentlytherewith-the step will swing from a horizontal to a vertical position; and at this time the crank-pin 15 and pin 28 may slide within slots 26. Also, by operating the hand-lever, rod 24 may have a movement-in an opposite direction to cause the gate to swing upward, and coincidently with this movement of the gate the step. will swing downward from a vertical to a horizontai position. l p

In practice,'the actuating-rod is disposed within the wall or partition of the car, and it is desirable that it may move in a vertical plane; the provision of the transverse projections or heads 25 and slots 26 permit this movement, the crank-pin 15 and wristpin 28 moving freely within these slots.

In operation, the hand-lever may be swung in one direction with the result that the gate will swing downward to obstruct the passageway. At 30 mounted upon the car are provided hooks or detent-members, and upon the ends of the gate are indicated projections, contact-members or pins 31 adapted to be engaged by the hooks when the gate completes its downward movement. The hooks are supported upon springs 32 so that pins 81 will automatically engage the hooks, and the gate will therefore be detained in its lowermost position and will resist outward pressure. This feature is considered to be of advantage since the gate will be held in a manner to prevent accidental injuries occasioned by an overcrowded condition of the car. When the gate is swung upwardly the pins pass outward from their engagement with the hooks.

At 38 and 34: are indicated cushions or buffer-blocks mounted upon the car, these being for contact, respectively, with the gate and with arms 16, to prevent undue vibration from their contact with the car, when they have approximately completed one of their swinging movements.

In order that the gate may be of limited weight, it is constructed as a tubular, rectangular frame as shown in the drawings; and within the area or space between the sides and ends of the frame may be mounted a reversible display-sign 35. The construction, in detail, of the parts employed for mounting the sign within the frame in a manner to be invertible, is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9, and requires no particular description, except to state that the sign may be moved longitudinally within the frame against the force of spring 36 for manually inverting the sign; and after it has been inverted or disposed in a vertical plane it will be normally sustained in that position, since the broad portion a: of one of its supporting-pins (Fig. 8) will have a bearing in the elongated aperture y of the adjacent end of the gate.

At 37 is indicated a controlling-rod pivotally mounted at one of its ends at 38 upon and near the upper side of the gate, its opposite end being pivotally mounted at 39 upon the car, adjacent to the doorway; and the rod tends to maintain the gate in a vertical position during its swinging movements. The actuating rod 2 1, near its lower end is provided with a knuckle joint 40 (Fig. 15), this being for the purpose of conveniently disconnecting said rod from the wrist pin 28, so that the step may remain stationary while the gate is operated, for in some instances it is desiredthat the gate may be swung independently of the step.

While the parts would probably be operative without the employment of the weighted arm 18, it operates to advantage as a counter-balance, so that lever 23 may be more easily moved when lifting the gate. Also by reference to Fig. a it will be seen that when the step 5 has been moved to a vertical position, arm 13 at that time has been swung far enough to dispose weight 1 L past center, or outwardly of the bearings of shaft 12, and therefore said weight tends to detain the shaft and step in a stationary position after the step has completed its upward swinging movement. I

By referring to Fig. 3 it will be seen that when the gate has been elevated, the weighted arm has not, at that time, been swung far enough to be disposed in alinement with-lifting-arms 16, and therefore the weight 14:, after the shaft has completed one of its movements, tends to sustain the gate in a stationary, elevated position.

While I have shown and described shaft 12 as having bearings in brackets 11 (Fig. 1), and having a length sufficient to extend between these brackets, it will be understood that the parts would be operative and the lifting-arms 16 could have swinging movements transversely of the car in an arc of substantially 180 degrees by actuation of wheel 19 and the sprocket chain, if that portion of the shaft between arms 16 was removed, and therefore I do not wish to limit myself to the use of shaft 12 as shown, although it is the preferred construction.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In combination, a vehicle provided with a doorway, a pivotally mounted step below the doorway, a gate disposed adjacent to the doorway and mounted exteriorly of the car; an actuating-rod connected with the gate and step, said rod being longitudinally-movable to cause coincident swinging movements of the step and gate, alternately, in directions toward and opposed to each other, and a controlling-rod connected with the gate and car for maintaining the gate" in a vertical position during its swinging movements.

2. The combination in a passenger car having a doorway, a piVOtally mounted step below the doorway, a pair of lifting-arms mounted above the doorway and adapted to have swinging movements transversely of the car, a gate hingably supported by the lifting-arms, and means connecting the lifting-arms with the step so that during one of their movements the gate will move upwardly, the step having a downward swinging movement.

3'. In combination, a vehicle provided with a doorway, a pivot-ally mounted step below the doorway; a horizontal shaft mounted above the doorway, said shaft being provided with transversely-disposed lifting-arms and adapted :to have a reciprocato-ry rotary movement; a gate provided with supporting-arms having their terminals hingably mounted upon the *terminals of said lifting-arms, and means connecting the shaft with the step sothat-a movement of said shaft in one direction will cause the gateandstep to move toward each other.

4. In combination, a :car having a doorway, a pivotally mounted step below the doorway; EtzhOllZOl'ltZll shaft adapted to-rhave a reoiprocatory rotary .movement :and :pro- .vided with a @pair of transversely-disposed lifting-arms and a weighted :arm; a gate supported by said lifting-arms; devicesoonmeeting the shaft with the step so :that ,a movement of the shaft :in one direction will cause the gate to move upwardly, thestep having a downward swinging movement, the weighted arm of the shaft tending "to sustain the gate and step stationary after they have-been moved.

5. The combination in a passenger car having a doorway, a pivotally mounted step below the doorway, lifting-arms mounted above the doorway and adapted to have swinging movements transversely of the car in an arc ofsubstantially 189 degrees,-a gate hingably supported bythe lifting-arms, and means connecting the lifting-arms with the step so that during one of their movements the gate will move downwardly, the step having an upward swinging movement.

6. In combination, a vehicle provided with a doorway, a pivotally -mounted step below the doorway; a horizontal shaft mounted above the doorway, said shaft being provided with a pair of lifting-arms and adapted to have a reoiprocatory rotary movement; a gate having a pair-of supporting-arms hingably mounted upon said liftii'ig-arms, and means connecting the shaft with the step so that a movement of the shaft in one direction will cause the gate to move upwardly, the step having a downward swinging movement.

7. In combination, a car having a doorway, a pivotally JHOHHtGCl' step below the doorway; a horizontal shaft adaptedtohave a rcciprocatory rotary movement and provided with a pair of transversely-disposed lifting-arms and a weighted arm; a gate hingably supported by said lifting-arms; devices connecting the shaft with the step so that a movement-of thes'haft in one direction will'cause the gate to move upwardly, the step having a downward swinging-movement; means connected with the gate and carfor maintaining the gate-in substantially a vertical position during themovement of said gate, the weighted arm of the shaft tending to sustain the gate and step stationary after they .have beenmoved.

:8. The combination .in a car having a of substantially .180 degrees, a gate hingably supported by the lifting-arms, means connecting the lifting-arms with the step so thatduring one of their movements the gate will move downwardly, the step having an upward swinging movement, and means connected with the gate and car for maintaining the gate in substantially a vertical position.

9. In :combination, a vehicle having a doorway, a pivotally mounted step below thedoorway; a horizontal shaft adapted to have a reciprocatory rotary movement, said shaft being provided with a crank and transverse lifting-arms; a gate hingably supported by :the lifting-arms, and a link pivotally connecting the crank with the step, the operation being that the movements of the shaft will cause the gate and step to have simultaneous swinging movements in directions opposed to each other.

10. In combination, a car havinga doorway, astep pivotally mounted upon the car, a horizontal shaft provided with a crank and mounted in suitable'bearings above the doorway; a link pivotally connected with said crank and step; a gate provided with contact-members and shaft, said an upward swinging movement of the step andadownward swinging movement of the g,ate,:the contact-members of said gate moving into engagement with said detent-members.

11. The combination in a passenger car h-avinga doorway, a pivotallymounted step below the doorway, a'pair of lifting-arms mounted abovethe doorway and adapted to have swinging movements transversely of the car, a gate hingably supported by the lifting-arms, means connecting the liftingarms with the step so that during one of their movements the gate will have an upward swinging movement, the step swinging downward, and a rigid controlling-rod pivotally connected with the gate and car for maintaining said gate in a vertical .position during-its swinging movement.

12. In =combination,-a vehicle provided with a:d0orway,,a pivotally mounted step' below the doorway;- a horizontal shaft mounted above the doorway, said shaft be ing provided with transversely-disposed lifting-arms and adapted to have a reciprocatory rotary movement; a gate provided with supportingarms having their terminals hingably mounted upon the tersupported by the shaft being rotatable to cause minals of said lifting-arms; means connecting the shaft with the step so that a movement of said shaft in one direction will cause the gate and step to move toward each other, and a rigid controlling-rod pivotally connected with the gate and car for maintaining the gate in a vertical position during its movement.

13. In combination, a car having a doorway, a pivotally mounted step below the doorway; a horizontal shaft having a weighted arm and adapted to have a reciprocatory rotary movement, said shaft being provided with a pair of transversely-disposed lifting-arms; a gate hingably supported by said lifting arms; an actuatingrod pivotally connecting said crank with the step, and a controlling-rod pivotally mounted on the car and engaging said gate.

14:. In combination, a car having a doorway and a pivotally mounted step, said step being provided with a wrist-pin; a horizontal shaft provided with a crank-pin and transverse lifting-arms, said shaft being mounted in suitable bearings above the doorway exteriorly of the car and adapted to have a reciprocatory rotary movement; a gate carried by said liftingarms; and a link formed with transverse terminal heads with slots formed therein, said link being disposed between the step and said shaft with the slots of its transverse heads traversed by said crank-pin and wrist-pin.

15. In combination, a vehicle having a doorway, a detent member and a pivotally mounted step, said step being provided with a wrist-pin; a horizontal shaft adapted to have a reciprocatory rotary movement and provided with a crank-pin and with transverse lifting-arms, a gate carried by said lifting-arms and provided with a contactmember; a link formed with transverse, terminal heads with slots formed therein, said link being disposed between the step and said shaft with the slots of its tranverse heads traversed by said crank-pin and wristpin, the contact-member of said gate being adapted to make engagement with the detent member of the car at the time the shaft has completed one of its movements.

16. In combination, a vehicle provided with a detent-member, a doorway and a pivotally mounted step below the doorway; a horizontal shaft mounted above the doorway, said shaft being provided with a crank and a pair of lifting-arms; a gate provided with a contact-member and having a pair of supporting-arms hingably mounted upon said lifting-arms; an actuating-rod pivot ally connected wit-h said crank and step, said shaft being movable to cause simultaneous swinging movements of the gate and step in directions opposed to each. other, said contact-member at the termination of the movement of the gate in one direction making engagement with said detent-menr her; and a rigid controlling-rod pivotally mounted upon the gate and engaging the car for maintaining said gate in a vertical position during its movements.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARTIN MEYER.

Witnesses:

HIRAM A. STUReIs, A. F. CLARK.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

